Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-07-21


the grizzled hair from his head, took
the patch from his eye, produced
handkerchief from his pocket which
was stained with some brown liquid,
and wettng it in the watering. rap
idlyremoved every trace of the bronze
tint from his face. Then he straight
ened up his shoulders, folded his arms,
and looked quietly at the Captain.
'Great Heavens-the escaped pa
triot for whom all Havana is search
ing''
1.-THE same, at your SERVICE" said
Henry Crawford, with smile.
PART I-CHAPTER VIII.
GOOD UNDERSTANDING. =
r The scabin-table had stood between
| the. two men during this interview.
! Captain Williswalked round it, seized
his visitor by the right hand, and with
his left clapped him heartily on the
shoulder. ~.
! Welcome, sir welcome to the
hospitality of the Nellie Willis" he
exclaimed 81 am at your service;
every thing on board is at your COM
inland. Iadmire brave man, and a
| Drawer than you / never saw. feel
as though you'd done me a favor by
making me the means of your escape.
Perhaps it's better that you came in
disguise; perhaps you couldn't have
fooled those hawk-eyed officers. any
other way, but you wrong me, sir
you do, indeed!-when you say l
wouldn't have received you had /
I known who you were. You don't
know Aaron Willis as you will before
/ you see Boston light. The. man who
can dare and suffer what You have for
Free Cuba-the fellow that has the
blood and pluck; to do what you did
Yesterday, and do it successfully
tell you, sir, he's welcome to my
friendship all his life and my life. if he
will have it."
Nov, my lad" said the, Captain,
"when have run up on deck for a mo-
ment to see if every thing is going on
right with those devils r'ard. I'll
have long talk with you here. You'll
Il want to tell me all about yourself, and
l surely want to hear it. Talk about
not wanting you along! Why, you're
Just the man want to help me man
age my rascally crew that you saw me
make so good a beginning on. Sit
down there, across the table. I've got
bottle of old MADEIRA in one of my
lockers, and before you begin We'll
drink to the memory of brave Lopez,
; the freedom of Cuba and the good
health of that young daredevil, Harry
Crawford. Tut-don't blush, mani
you deserve it,
4 Crawford was still standing.
"Come, sir-sit DOWN.
captain Willis, you seem to forge,
my position here. can't say regret
the imposition 1 practiced to leave Ha-
Evana on your vessel; that. was to save
my life, and any one would have done
it under like circumstances. But felt
bound to disclose it as soon as it was
safe for me to do so, and also to tel
you that you can rely on me to stand
by you on this voyage, just the same
as you can rely ON the mate and Dicl
Purvis. Now that 1 have told yot
this, / am simply a common sailor
and poor enough one. too-on YOU
, bark. I've been a soldier, thoegh,
carried sword under General Lopez
) but know what authority and obedi
; ence are. My place is forward, sir. "
, "Your place is here in this cabin
: just now, and till the end of the yoy
| age. A fiddlestick on your seruples
sir! You saw me teach that rabble OF
. deck this morning who was Captain
and by =, sir, I'd have yost to know
it, toor'
| Crawford smiled at the Captain
t good-natured rudeness, about half o
, which he saw was assumed, and NJ
[ longer hesitated to sit down.
/ land hadn't it occurred to you,
[ continued the Captain, as he place.
the bottle and glasses on the table
'rhat some of those rascals would b.
3 likely to stick knife into you, o.
throw you overheard? You couldn'
E make them believe very long that yol
= was ever of their kind
[ BEG your pardon, sir-but there
where you're mistaken. I'm prett,
good actor, as you must have noticed
t by this time.e Let me go back anon.
the crew, and in twenty-four hours yo1
< shall know just what they want to do
Al and when they propose to do it.
D mo, the risk is too great. You
: heart is in the right place, young fellow
and you're such man as don't NEE
= once in five years. You've done quit
. enough for the present; the chance
v yesterday were about one in a million
that you'd be alive to-day, and / pro
lpose to have you take care of yoursel
now. Here's your glass. drink hearty
now. the toast gave YOU"
provided you'll add TO it the safet
of your good ship and long life to he
master"
Gas you say"
The friendship of the two being thu
pledged, the Captain said:
wait few minutes till [ look q
the deck and alter the course. and the
yousha tell me all you choose to abou
yourself.
!, i've nothing to conceal; you sha
hear the whole, sir"
After the Captain had gone, Henri
Crawford sat quietly for a few me
ments engaged in deep thought. Hi
whole life had been eventful, remarks
bly, so; and the experience of the las
month. the last week, the last tw
days,,were such as befall very few mer
He rapidly reviewed them, and the
| t,,rnad 20 HE prpSent situatiOn H